Container and roller of cigarettes



March 14, 1933. J. G. PORTTEUS CONTAINER AND ROLLER OF CIGARETTES FiledOct. 14, 1951 m w W Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES G. PORT'IEUS,OF TOLEDO, OHIO PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER AND ROLLER OF CIGARETTESApplication filed October 14, 1931. Serial No. 568,682.

My invention relates to containers for retaining cigarettes to becarried from place to place to prevent their becoming broken ormis-shapened. The invention particularly relates to a container, thewalls of which cooperate with 'a flexible sheet'element locatedwithin'the container to shape and form loose tobacco materials intoausable cigarette shape.

10 The invention has for its object to provide a cigarette containeror-case, which may be easily and conveniently carried in the apparel ofthe user, the Walls of which are 7 formed so as to cooperate withmembers supported'within the container to form a.

cigarette. The invention has for its par-. ticular object to provide arelatively thin container or case in which is located a movable memberand a flexible sheet element 0 which together cooperate withthe walls ofthe container to form and shape loose compactible materials, such astobacco,- into' cigarette shape. The invention provides a simpleconstruction-of related members for 25 forming a compactiblematerialinto cigarette shape which may be manufactured at'a' low cost and havean attractive appearance. The invention consists in other featureswithout corresponding ;use of other fea-' tures, and without departingfrom the spirit of the invention. The particular structure selected isshown the accompanying draw m I g Fig. 1 is a perspective view-of thecase and illustrates the operable members preparaand advantages whichwill appear from the tory to forming a cigarette. Fig. 2 is a view of alongitudinal cross section of the case. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional viewand illustrates the positions ofcomponent parts of the device when notin se. Fig. 4. is a view of a transverse section of the case. i i

The-convenience of making cigarettes, as

'desired has not heretofore been accompanied by a convenient means forcarrying the fin- A ished articles without the use of other containersand enclosing within the container the means for making the cigarettes.By

the use'of my invention cigarettes may be produced as the user desiresand a supply located in the container. A movable memher or plunger isassociated'with a flexible sheet member, both of which are locatedwithin the container, so that, upon move ment of the plunger within theconfinesof the case, the sheet member willbe operated to exert a rollingcompressing i'orce on the materials of which the cigarette is formed andproduce a finished cigarette at the completio-nof the travel of theplunger. The

plunger andflexiblesheet maybe subse 7 quently located so as toprovide'ample room.

in the cohtainer'for retaining a numberof completed cigarettes.

In the forrnof constructionshown in the drawing, the cigarettes areformed by movement of a plunger 1 in cooperation with a flexible sheet 2and within the confines of'a containerB. The container 3 maybe providedwith beaded portions or channels 4' formed in the sides 5, of thecontainer to guide and support'the cross-head 9 of the plunger inreciprocal movement through the container. The plunger 1 may have asuitable handle 8 for manipulation of the crosshead 9 which is connectedto the draw bar 901 by legs or guides 7. V o

The cross-head 9 of the draw bar 1', which cooperates with the flexiblesheet 2 in the cigarette shaping operation, may be formed substantiallyoval in cross section to prevent amming or pinching of the sheet betweenthe cross-head and the walls of the container in compressing and formingthe cigarettes. The cross-head 9 of the bar 1 guides the movement-ofthesheet2 so that materials and raise it out of the for forming thecigarette, located in the sheet, will be rolled into the desired formandcompressed by the pressure exerted by the sheet 2, in conjunctionwith the crosshead 9 and walls of the container.

In order to secure the ends of the sheet 2 within the container and toobtain a desired tension of the sheet, as well as to prevent slippage orincreasing slackness in subsequent operations, the ends 10 of the sheetare looped about wire pins-6. The flexible sheet 2 may then be securedwithin the container by crimping struck up edge portions of thecontainer 3 over the looped ends 10 and the pins 6. One of the ends ofthe sheet is secured in the rear wall of the container,

at 12, while the opposite end is secured near the front wall in thebottom, as at 13. Thus, the sheet 2 is securely located in the container3 iii-opposition so that it may be engaged by the cross-head 9 of the.draw barl as the cross-head is moved through the container. 1

In order to position the cigarette forming materials upon the flexiblesheet 2, so that a satisfactory assembly of the materials may beobtained, the bottom wall 11 of the container has apocket or recess 14closeto one end of the container. A portion of the flexible sheet 2 maybe placed so as to lie along the surface of the pocket 14, thus forminga slackened portion 15 for receiving loose tobacco 16. Upon movement ofthe cross-head 9 over the recess, the sheet 2v will be engaged'by thecross-head so as to wrap theslackened portion 15 about the tobaccopocket 14 and onto the surface of the bottom 11 of the container 3. Asthe cross-headcontinues to draw the slackened portion 15 of the sheet 2across the surface of the bottom 11 the tobacco 16 i will be compressedand rolled into a compact mass about which a suitable sheath of paper 17may be secured to form a cigarette. V The paper 17 may be placed on thesheet 2 preferably so that one edge lies on a portion of the sheetlocated over a depressed or concave area 18 formed in the bottom wall11. The area 18 is located adjacent the pocket 14; so that the tensionof thesheet will be of lesser magnitude. relative tothe compressedtobacco and toapermit the insertion of the edge of the paper 17 betweenthe cross-head 9 and the sheet2. 'Thus, as portions 15 of the sheet 2are moved by the cross-head 9 of the bar over the bottom wall 11 of thecontainer, the materials will be compactly rolledinto cigarette form. Asuitable opene ing 19 may be provided proximate to one end ,of thecontainer and the sheet, through which the cigarette may be deliveredupon completion. o

The opening 19 of the case may be closed by a suitable cover 20 whichmay be hingedly connected to the container as at 22. The

nectedto the" container 3, as at 29, and has flanged portions '26 whichextend over the edges of thechannels 1 when the wall 25 is located soasto close the container. The wall 25 may also have flanges 27 forextending over portions of the handle 8 and thus retain the plunger 1withinthe container; 3 and prevent its. outward movement when the caseis being carried. To provide for suitable location of the handle 8 whenthe cover 25 is closed, the wall of the container.

may be provided-with a groove 30 for receiving major portions of thebody ofthe handle,

When the cover 20 is closed',- the interior of the container may befilled with'asupply of cigarettes. The area within the container isunobstructed by the operated members, since when the handle 8 is locatedinthe groove 30, the. cross-head 9 of the draw bar 1 will be positionedagainst the rear' wall, allowing the flexible sheet 2 to lie flatagainst the bottom wall 11 and the chamber thus formed may be usedadvantageously as a place for storing cigarettes. I claim: r

. 1. In a container for cigarettes, the side walls of the containerhaving channels, a U-shaped-handle member slidably supported in thechannels, a crosshead connected to the handleand adapted to bereciprocated through substantially the entire length of the, container.in a plane parallel to the plane vofthe major portion of the bottom wallof the container, and a flexible element connected to the container atpoints proximate to the ends of the stroke of the cross head, theflexible sheet element being adapted to be slidably engaged by thecrosshead, portions of the flexible sheet element being adapted toreceive cigarettematerials and locatedbetween the crosshead' and thebottom wall of the container for compressing the cigarettematerials intocigarette form.

2. In a cigarette container, the side walls of the container havingoutwardly projecting bead portions, the front wall of the containerhaving an inwardly projecting bead portion, a U-shaped handle, the legsof the U-shaped handle being slidably supported in theoutwardlyprojecting bead portions of the side walls, the web of theU-shaped handle being adapted to be located in the inwardly projectingbead-portion of the front wall, acoverhingedly connected to the rearWall of the container, the cover having flanges, the flanges beingadapted to engage the Web of the U-shaped handle to maintain the Webofthe handle in the inwardly projecting bead portion of the front Wall,the bottom Wall of the container having a recess formed at one end andan opening formed at the other end, a cover hingedly connected to thebottom wall for closing the said opening and adapted to support thecontainer when open, a pair of ears extending from the second namedcover for resiliently engaging the side Walls of the container, a crosshead connected to the handle and adapted to be reciprocated throughsubstantially the entire length of the container in a plane parallel tothe plane of the major portion of the bottom of the container, and aflexible sheet element connected to the illterior of the said baekandbottom Wall of the container at points proximate to the ends of thestroke of the cross head, the flexible sheet element being adapted to beslidably engaged by the cross head, portions of the flexible sheetelement being adapted to be located in the recess of the bottom Wall ofthe container for receiving cigarette materials, said portions of theflexible sheet element being adapted to be compressed between the crosshead and the bottom wall of the container for compressing the cigarettematerials into cigarette form.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

- JAMES G. PORTTEUS.

